Casino Comps

[tvo7]

I had a friend who suggested this idea and I was wondering if anyone has experience with it. 

 

I used to be a comp counter in Vegas.  Meaning I would just play to break even but rack up points to get free shows, food, and rooms. 

 

I was thinking of playing on the ship casino, break even with my play, lets say 100 dollar a hand on baccarat.  

 

I then get free cruises which then adds to my quest to get Pinnacle level.  Also get any other benefit with gambling.  

 

Anyone have an opinion with this?

[safcftm]

2 hours ago, tvo7 said:

I had a friend who suggested this idea and I was wondering if anyone has experience with it. 

 

I used to be a comp counter in Vegas.  Meaning I would just play to break even but rack up points to get free shows, food, and rooms. 

 

I was thinking of playing on the ship casino, break even with my play, lets say 100 dollar a hand on baccarat.  

 

I then get free cruises which then adds to my quest to get Pinnacle level.  Also get any other benefit with gambling.  

 

Anyone have an opinion with this?

sounds like a bit of a gamble to me.

[dani negreanu]

3 hours ago, tvo7 said:

I then get free cruises which then adds to my quest to get Pinnacle level

 

Do free cruises count towards Pinnacle?

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Do free cruises count towards Pinnacle?

Most reporting suggests comped cruises do award C&A points.

[lovesthebeach2]

2 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Do free cruises count towards Pinnacle?

We once talked with a guy in the suite lounge that said he made Pinnacle from gambling comped cruises. At least that’s what he told us.

[leisuretraveler223]

There are a lot of people (like the OP) who will happily regale people with stories about all the things they've gained by gambling.

 

They are gamblers.  They don't talk about their losses.  No one ever consistently "wins" either at the gambling or by gaining the comps.  When people claim they do, they are lying.  You are always better off paying for what you want than getting it as a comp.

 

If you want to gamble and you don't mind losing, then it's cool.  And yeah, you get some comps thrown your way, and occasionally you win. It's fun!  Hell, I've been doing it in Vegas for 20 years.  But I'm at least honest enough to admit I'm not actually ahead as a result.  I would have been better off not gambling and just paying for anything I got.  But it was fun.

 

Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is lying.  And planning to "break even" with your play is BS.

[Ourusualbeach]

3 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Do free cruises count towards Pinnacle?

Comped cruises still pay taxes and fees and are awarded points

Edited December 2, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[Babblespeak]

Yes, comped cruises count toward status.  Our last 5 have been comped and we just hit Diamond.  We find a teaser slot machine on the first night that pays a little bit almost every spin (though they never hit big).  They exist. Then we milk it for points.  One of us hits prime on about $1500 of gambling, which is less than what we save on the comped annual cruise, plus it generates another free cruise right then from getting the points.  We end up ahead.  Then we switch to the other person and repeat.  We get free drinks in the casino for the next year plus too and like to gamble anyway.  Win/win.  

[leisuretraveler223]

27 minutes ago, Babblespeak said:

and like to gamble anyway.  Win/win.  

 

This. This is the winning statement. I like to gamble too.  But there are far too many people that actually think they can do it and get a "deal".  Enjoy!

[yogimax]

9 hours ago, tvo7 said:

 

I was thinking of playing on the ship casino, break even with my play, lets say 100 dollar a hand on baccarat.  

 

Baccarat?  I don’t believe I’ve seen it on RCCL ships.  House odds are still against the player.

[Babblespeak]

28 minutes ago, schooner_Drinker said:

That’s exactly the way to do it 

Since the program was changed to a free for all program 

this is now the only way to go

 

Most don’t understand the system 

 

As for the doubters (or doubter) it is possible to come out ahead and cruise and drink for free

Saving over $900 buying a drink package on every cruise 

 

Plus the additional freeplay us LOSERS Also get added to our account AND OBC and some speciality dining 

 

amazes me when someone doesn’t really see the big picture we must all be talking BS

 

Nancy 

Last cruise we got off on Thursday there were some huge payouts and we got off the ship with paper money and in profit 

that must be a lie 😂

“Most don’t understand the system.”  Exactly this!

 

Another data point:  We walked off a couple crises this past year up, and a couple more down.  I’m thinking our win/loss (not counting of course our upcoming Adventure cruise in a couple of weeks) is maybe down about $2000 or so in total.  Offset that with the more than $10k we’ve saved on cruise fare with trips we have booked through August 2024, and there hasn’t been a lot of gambling to it.  And my wife keeps getting additional weekly offers we simply don’t have the time to take.  And not having to buy a drink package anymore because al la carte on port days with free casino drinks is much cheaper.  We also hit for $1100 on the last night on an MSC Meriviglia cruise back in July after being down only about $500.  We don’t gamble large at all to get a lot out of the system.  We just make sure when we hit our loss limit tolerance that we stop and save it for the next cruise. 

[Pinballs83]

While I haven't got any great offers from Royal yet ($100 off a cruise @ 1400 points across two cruises), I donated at least a few hundred bucks to the princess casino.  The princess comp offers from that have paid for gambling assuming I was going to cruise with them anyways.  Comp'd drink and internet, discounted fare, on board credit, free play, spa crap etc.

 

Maybe clubroyaloffers.com will send me a nice December discount.

[Babblespeak]

5 minutes ago, schooner_Drinker said:

We hit 2500 for the year on one card, switch to the other card hit 2500 and then it’s a don’t care about the points for rest of the financial gambling year 😎

 

With the old program , years gone by would have kept going, now there is no real point 

However typically over the year we get to  the higher tiers 

 

And we do this pretty much after the annual reset on 3/31- so are golden for the next year 

 

so you and I must be the biggest losers full of BS in the casino 🤣😂🤣

 

Knowing the system, and thinking you know about it 

Are two completely different animals 😉

 

Nancy🍹

Nancy - The free B2B Wonder cruises we will book with our annual certs in April 2024 for March 2025 will take the sting out of our “losing.”   🙂

 

I wish you all the luck in the casino.  Get those points and money.  Don’t let Royal win!

[Sunshine3601]

4 hours ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

There are a lot of people (like the OP) who will happily regale people with stories about all the things they've gained by gambling.

 

They are gamblers.  They don't talk about their losses.  No one ever consistently "wins" either at the gambling or by gaining the comps.  When people claim they do, they are lying.  You are always better off paying for what you want than getting it as a comp.

 

If you want to gamble and you don't mind losing, then it's cool.  And yeah, you get some comps thrown your way, and occasionally you win. It's fun!  Hell, I've been doing it in Vegas for 20 years.  But I'm at least honest enough to admit I'm not actually ahead as a result.  I would have been better off not gambling and just paying for anything I got.  But it was fun.

 

Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is lying.  And planning to "break even" with your play is BS.

Here is a snipping of current comp offers my DH has from the casino.   If I was retired and able to cruise all the time and take advantage of all of these offers it would be well over $20K in free cabins and we spend nowhere near that amount in the casino when we cruise a couple times a year.    Plus we get free cocktails (premium liquors) and 30% off internet.     If a casino comp offer is for an interior it costs very little to upgrade to a OV balcony.    

 

 

We receive new offers almost every Monday.   Most of the recent offers are for 3 to 5 night cruises out of FL but there are some 7 to 9 night sailings up thru December 2024 that were on the Black Friday offer.   

I am also casino prime member and I receive similar offers and have turned a lot of the offers into b2b's.  

 

We have both been casino prime members for several years with Club Royale and based on just the "comped" cabins and the cocktails alone we are way ahead.

 

In total this year alone I put in about $1250 into the casino to retain my Prime status and Yes, I'm ahead by approx. $450 per my spreadsheet.    My DH is ahead on his gambling as well.   Plus we have fun in the casino!

 

Not every cruise we take is a comped cruise.    The casino does offer "casino rates" which is usually cheaper than pricing seen on royalcaribbean.com site

 

I guess this is all BS.  

[firefly333]

5 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

We once talked with a guy in the suite lounge that said he made Pinnacle from gambling comped cruises. At least that’s what he told us.

Friends who were recognized as new pinnacles this week did 18 on allure she said all were casino comped. 

[Babblespeak]

36 minutes ago, schooner_Drinker said:

Here is just one example of a Comped 6 night sailing on Symphony we paid in full & booked - makes me a BiG LOSER full of BS 

SYMPHONY Apr 2024

Cruise Fare $4318.86 If we paid

Casino Discount $4000.00

PF&T $318.86

Gratuities $192.00

Balance $510.86 Paid in full 

Balance $0.00

Daily rate 🚹$42.57 Per person per night

Free Wifi

$150 Free Play

Coastal Kitchen

Free drinks in casino

Free beer and wine SL 11am - 11pm

 

and as you can see we prepay gratuities, just because 👍🏻

 

You can’t even get a night at a hotel 8 with no food included for that daily rate 

 

Find me the cheapest 6 night sailing for 2 people on Symphony - that beats that and I will admit I am a BIg loser 

 

Nancy 

Here’s our 8 night promenade view on the Adventure next Friday.  Including grats.  

[yogimax]

Royal Caribbean must sure be stupid for giving away free cruises, especially to those who always win, or rarely lose, in the casino.

[tvo7]

Even you lose 500 gambling with long hours of play.  You may get comped cruise or cheap cruises.

If you lose 500 but get free cruise dont ypu come out ahead?

Anyone try to status match caesar diamond to royal carribean?

[Babblespeak]

48 minutes ago, yogimax said:

Royal Caribbean must sure be stupid for giving away free cruises, especially to those who always win, or rarely lose, in the casino.

I hope most people keep believing this.  Too many people get in on it and it will go away.  

[Sunshine3601]

Here is a booking for a 12 night cruise in a 1 Bed Grand Suite (upgraded from Balcony on a casino offer):

 

I guess my Hubby playing a $1000 +/- or so in the casino was stupid.   Who would want a 12 night caribbean cruise in a GS for $2,020?   

[Sunshine3601]

22 minutes ago, tvo7 said:

 

Anyone try to status match caesar diamond to royal carribean?

I know they work with MGM rewards don't think Ceasar's is an option but doesn't hurt to call Club Royale and ask 866-562-7625.

[Sunshine3601]

5 minutes ago, schooner_Drinker said:

$84.20 per PAX for SKY CLASS 😎 and 12 nights 

 

Anyone beat that ?

 

Wifi included

beer and wine from 11-11

Soda and water and cocktails 5-8

CK included

Priority Embark and Disembark 

 

That $4910 saving makes you the biggest loser of the day 🤣😂

 

Nancy 

We must all be the biggest idiots out there or Losers 🤪

 

You should have just paid the full price of $8254.00 and would be called a Winner 🏆 

Thank you I will accept the trophy for biggest idiot/loser so far 😉

 

PLUS let's not forget the free premium cocktails in the casino.    We both have several while playing in the casino and I always grab some bottles of water every night for our cabin and/or the port the next day.

 

I know there are others with better offers but this has been our best one this year. 

[MaryZ]

We are on Royal next week in two comped ocean view balconies.  We each get so many cruise offers we could probably cruise every week of the year, between all the lines.
We have cruises booked all the way thru 2024. 
This cruise our oldest son is coming with us.  We'll be taking our middle son and his family on NCL sometime in this coming summer and we just took our daughter and her family on the Oasis this past summer. 
We do like to gamble, so it works out for us.  Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose but when you add in the cost of cruises and all the host comps on the ships, we are usually close to even. 
We don't sail in anything less than a balcony.
I never tell anyone they should gamble to get this type of comp tho.  Either you're a gambler or you're not.  I do tell them if you can hold 5k in your hand, light it on fire and it won't affect your life than give gambling a whirl.  (if you have crummy luck to get to prime will cost you $12,500)
But if even gambling a few hundred dollars means you're over your budget, then it isn't something you should do.  It's better to save up for your vacation and just enjoy your cruise. 
 

[tvo7]

Do you think 25 dollars a hand , 3 to 4 hours a day on craps or baccarat,  will get me to some free cruises?

[PigsCanFly]

14 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Do free cruises count towards Pinnacle?

Our first RCL cruise was comped from a land based casino.  Each of our subsequent RCL cruises have been comped by Casino Royale folks.  We have only paid the port fees & taxes and occasionally an extra fee for a third guest (our DS).  DW & I do enjoy gambling and despite some nice wins, we generally lose more than we win.  All of our cruises on RCL have been comped and we are now DP340+ (all 3 of us).  So, Yes, C&A points are granted for "comped"  cruises.